For most of us, spring is finally settling in, and summer is fast approaching to take its place. Here in Oregon, the state infamous for rain, we get pretty excited when the sun actually makes an appearance! For those long awaited sunny days, I like to have a few quick and easy, long-wearing makeup products that help me look great, and give me more time to enjoy the sunshine!

The most important part of a great makeup look at any time of year is your skin. If mine isn't looking and feeling 100% perfect, I want a foundation that can fake it for me. Since warmer weather often means oilier skin, spring and summer are the perfect seasons for a cream-to-powder or powder-based foundation. MAC Studio Fix has been one of my favorites for years, but it's not the only one anymore. Aveda Dual Performance Creme Powder, Prescriptives Instant Face, and Garden Botanika Powder Plus are all good choices for a liquid foundation alternative. Personally, I like Aveda's powder the best, even over Studio Fix (gasp!) because it has a silkier, less powdery texture, and I found a better color match for my skin. All of these powder formulas can be applied with a puff, sponge, or brush, and work best on normal, normal-to-dry, normal-to-oily, and combination skin types.

For those of us who don't tan, use self-tanners or bronzers, a quick and easy cream blush is a great way to add some natural looking color to your face. The new cream blushes, like Cheekbuds from Prescriptives and Amazing Lasting Blush from Almay, work great on bare skin, over a tinted moisturizer, or over your liquid foundation. The Prescriptives Cheekbuds I tried in "Bluerose", a cool raspberry color, is perfect if you have more pink undertones in your skin; for more yellow undertones, there is the warmer shade, "Goldrose". Almay's Amazing Lasting collection has more color options, but I found the blush to be less creamy than Cheekbuds, and the included sponge was difficult to work with. It works much better when you apply it with your fingers.

A great trick for an easy, minimalist makeup look that still looks polished is well-groomed eye brows. Whether you need to fill in what's missing, or just control what you've got, an eye brow pencil or powder and clear brow gel can work wonders to bring out your eyes and add definition to your face. Of the brow products I've tried, my two favorites are Brow and Lash Gel, and Eyebrow Makeup, both from The Body Shop. The Eyebrow Makeup is a waxy powder that comes in a refillable case with a small mirror and angled brush. To complete the look, a good mascara like Jane Flashes, Max Factor 2000 Calorie, or L'Oreal Voluminous separates and darkens lashes without clumping, smearing, or flaking.

To complete this spring and summer look, I like a great shade of lipstick or gloss in a fresh pink or peach. A few of my favorites are Lancome's new Lip Brio in Rose Audrey, Origins Slipcovers in Opal, MAC lipstick in Skew, Stila Lipshine gloss in Rose Shine or Lilac Shine, Clinique Long Last Soft Shine lipstick in Baby Kiss, and Jane Barely Lips lipstick in Partly Peach. For convenience, I like to skip lip liner, or use something really neutral like Nat Robbins "Totally Nude", The Body Shop "Beech", or MAC "Spice" that gives definition and prevents bleeding without looking obvious.

That's it! The key to a fresh makeup look this spring and summer is soft, pretty colors, so put away those neutral browns and grays until next fall! Now that you have some color ideas, do you feel overwhelmed by just how to put them on? Don't miss Cosmetic Connection's new April Feature, Makeup 101, the first in a series of articles to help you learn quick and easy makeup techniques. April starts with Foundation and Powder, a complete guide to choosing the right formula for your skin and how to get a flawless application.